The speculation and future of the Mallee train has been uncertain since 2014, it is now confirmed that the lines are coming to an unfortunate end.

“After servicing the Mallee for over a century, it is disappointing to see that the last commercial user of the line will be transferring to road transport to move grain from the Mallee region as of August 1st”

State Liberal Member for Hammond, Adrian Pederick, has today welcomed the announcement of $12.5 million of Federal Government funding for the Murraylands.

$7.5 million is funding the development for the SA Motorpsort Park just outside Tailem Bend.

Mr PEDERICK ( Hammond ) ( 15:18 ): Sometimes I wonder if I live in the same universe as members opposite. I too want to make some comments in regard to the federal government and the great things they have done with their federal budget that was handed down on Tuesday night.

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) ( 14:44 ): Supplementary, sir: my understanding is that these checks are at least cost neutral, so why don't you just employ more people in the checking department?

Second Reading

Mr PEDERICK ( Hammond ) ( 15:52 ): I also rise to support the Local Government (Gawler Park Lands) Amendment Bill 2015. As the member for Goyder indicated, I do have family connections going a long, long way back in my family. In fact, my forebears, William and Mary Pederick, who came out in 1840, are both buried at Gawler River along with their son, Robert Adams, and his family. In closer terms, both sets of grandparents—the Dutton family, who were at Freeling and then in Gawler, and on my father's side, Len and Dorothy Pederick—were living for many decades in the Gawler region, whether directly in Gawler or in the Angle Vale area, as were their forebears.

Liberal Member for Hammond, Adrian Pederick, raised the plight of Coomandook Area School’s non-existent internet service in Parliament yesterday.

A tower was put up on the south-western side of the silos at Coomandook to allow the school to access the internet.

Second Reading

Mr PEDERICK ( Hammond ) ( 17:05 ): I rise to support the Health Care (Administration) Amendment Bill 2015. This bill was tabled by the minister on 11 February 2015 and is the same as the 2013 and 2014 bills which lapsed when parliament was prorogued in both years. Some of the issues that this bill deals with include fees for services provided by the South Australian Ambulance Service not involving ambulance transport. Section 59 of the act allows the minister to set fees by notice in the gazette to be charged for ambulance services which is defined in a way which is limited to transportation in an ambulance.

Mr PEDERICK ( Hammond ) ( 11:34 ): I rise to speak to the motion that the Minister for Racing has moved:

1. That in the opinion of this house, a joint committee be appointed to inquire into and report on jumps racing in South Australia and whether it should be banned.
2. In the event of a joint committee being appointed, the House of Assembly should be represented by three members of the House of Assembly, of whom two shall form a quorum of the House of Assembly members necessary to be present at all sittings of the committee .
3. That a message be sent to the Legislative Council transmitting the foregoing resolution and requesting its concurrence thereto.

Second Reading

Mr PEDERICK ( Hammond ) ( 17:34 ): I rise to speak to the Criminal Law (Forensic Procedures) (Blood Testing for Diseases) Amendment Bill. I note the comments from our deputy leader, the member for Bragg, that the government has not acknowledged the work of the opposition, and I note the good work that has been done on this side.

Member for Hammond, Adrian Pederick has demanded that the Weatherill Labor stops turning its back on the $25 million that the Federal Government allocated three years ago for the Murray Darling Basin Diversification Fund.

“There are a number of important projects in the Murrayland and Riverland communities that could benefit from this funding,” said Mr Pederick.